Homers help Tortugas past Mets, 9-5

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 25, 2021) – The Daytona Tortugas bashed their way to a 9-5 win over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tortugas collected 12 hits, including three home runs and three doubles. Already working with a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Tortugas got three-run homer from Reyny Reyes and a solo blast from Rece Hinds off Mets starter Junior Santos to open up a 6-0 lead.

The Mets scored the next three runs to cut the deficit in half. Brandon McIlwain lifted a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth and Justin Guerrera scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2. Branden Fryman drove in Juan Uriarte with a single in the sixth to make it 6-3.

The Tortugas pulled away in the eighth when Austin Hendrick cranked a two-run homer to put the Tortugas back up six, 9-3.

McIlwain and Kevin Kendall hit run-scoring singles in the eighth and ninth, but Daytona reliever Anthony Zimmerman came in and retired the last two hitters in the ninth to keep the tying run on deck.

Despite allowing nine runs and 12 hits, the Mets did strike out the Tortugas 15 times. Santos (4-5) took the loss. He gave up six hits and six runs in 4.0 innings. He fanned seven.

Austin Faith pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts.

The Mets were without a hit with until two outs in the sixth when Uriarte hit a double to end the no-hit bid. The Mets ended up with six hits total. They also worked eight walks and were hit by two pitches. Fryman went 2 for 2 and reached base four times.

The Mets (50-45) and Tortugas (48-50) play the third game of their series at Clover Park on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. It’s Dollar Night with $1 Bud and Bud Light (8 oz. cans), $1 hot dogs, $1 soda and $1 popcorn.